LEXINGTON, Va. (Interstat) — The Citadel Bulldogs scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to break a tie and defeated the Virginia Military Institute Keydets 7-4 on Friday afternoon at Gray-Minor Stadium in a Southern Conference matchup.

Citadel won its second straight in the three-game series, improving to 29-24 overall and setting up a chance for a sweep Saturday. VMI dropped to 28-25.

The game began as a pitchers’ duel. Citadel starter Andrew Buffkin worked five innings, allowing two earned runs on no hits while striking out three. Despite the no-hit line, the Keydets manufactured a run in the third inning. Grayson Fitzwater singled to right center to drive in Ben Cardone, tying the game 1-1 after Christian Stratis had homered for the Bulldogs in the second.

Citadel regained the lead in the fourth when Zach Hunt doubled to center field, scoring TJ Anderson, who had walked. Hunt added another RBI single in the sixth to make it 3-1.

The Keydets answered with a four-run bottom of the sixth. Cole Raile singled through the right side to score Owen Prince. Ayden Schnarrs then doubled to left field, driving in two runs. The three-run rally gave VMI a 4-3 advantage.

That lead held into the ninth inning. Citadel third baseman Sam Dansky homered to left center to tie the game, sending the contest into extra innings.

In the 10th, the Bulldogs erupted. Lane Tobin singled, Ayden Williams singled and Anderson singled to load the bases with no outs. Michael Gibson, who had moved from the bullpen to the designated hitter spot and back, delivered a sacrifice fly to right field, scoring Tobin to put Citadel ahead 5-4. Hunt then doubled down the left-field line, clearing the bases with two more runs to make it 7-4.

Gibson also excelled on the mound, pitching 3.1 innings of hitless relief, striking out six and earning the win. Citadel finished with 11 hits. Hunt led the way with three hits and four RBIs. Dansky had two hits, including the home run. Stratis and TJ Anderson each contributed two hits, with Anderson scoring three times.

For the Keydets, Fitzwater had two hits and an RBI. Schnarrs drove in two runs. VMI collected nine hits but stranded runners in crucial situations, including the bottom of the ninth when Gibson struck out the side.

Clark Driscoll started for VMI, allowing three runs on five hits over five innings with four strikeouts. Hunter Sipe took the loss after giving up four runs on six hits in five innings of relief, including the decisive 10th.

The Bulldogs won the series opener 9-2 on Thursday and face the Keydets again Saturday for the finale.

Interstat’s game simulator projected a 7-2 final score in favor of Citadel. Interstat’s ELO system gave the Bulldogs a 56.30 percent probability to win.